Memorial Messenger

Email: amaxon@riverviewschools.com
Website: www.riverviewschools.com
Location: 13425 Colvin Street, Riverview, MI, USA
Phone: 734 285-4080
Twitter: @memorialelemen

Dear Memorial Families,

November is coming to an end and Memorial has been very busy, especially with generosity, community building, and student learning. Thank you to our families for their generous donation to support the Riverview Good Fellows Canned Food Drive. It is estimated that we collected over 2000 donations from Memorial Elementary alone! These donations are amazing and the St. Cyprian Food Pantry will be well stocked for the upcoming holidays and cold months. Thank you Memorial Families! Our first place winning class is Mrs. Shirlen's 4th grade class and the second place winning class goes to Mrs. Gandee's 2nd grade class. Congratulations to the winning classes!

Memorial students and staff celebrated Thanksgiving Charlie Brown style, eating together as one big family in the hallways. Students were on their very best behavior and really seemed to enjoy the "Meal" along with spending time with their peers. Thank you again to Memorial families, Memorial PTC for the donations of jelly beans, jello, pretzels, cinnamon toast crunch cereal, paper plates, and paper bags. A big thank you to our Memorial staff, led by Mrs. Hatzl in organizing and ensuring that all went smoothly.

Fourth grade has been busy this month with Mock Elections in Mrs. Shirlen's classroom and the entire Fourth grade turning balloons into parade like floats, titled "Balloons over Broadway". Thank you to Mr. Sammons and Mrs. Shirlen for making this month so special and memorable for our students.

The DCTC (Downriver Career Tech Consortium) set up a fantastic presentation for our Memorial fifth graders allowing them to visit student led stations and explore different career offerings that are currently available when they attend high school. This was a great opportunity allowing our students to begin thinking about future career possibilities.

This month's PTC meeting was busy with many plans being made for our upcoming Kris-Kringle Mingle event that will take place on December 15th beginning at 6:00 p.m. it will be an exciting event for all of our families and students to bring on the holiday spirit. Thank you to our Memorial PTC for their dedication and generous donation of time.

Arrival Bell Time:

K - 8:40 a.m.

Grades 1-5 - 8:45 a.m.

(Official Start Time is 8:50)

Dismissal Bell Time:

K - 3:25 p.m.

Grades 1-5 - 3:30 p.m.

**Grade Level Doors are suggested doors for students to use - if you need to adjust your drop-off or pick-up set of doors, please be sure to communicate with classroom teacher. Often this occurs when there are siblings. The best practice has been found for older students to wait at the doors with our younger students.

As always, thank you for your support from home and please be sure to reach out with any questions or needs that you have. We are all part of this Memorial Team!

Educationally Yours,

Angelyn Maxon

amaxon@riverviewschools.com

(734) 285-4080

• Be kind and patient! Let's set a good example for our students!
• It is illegal to leave your car unattended if it is not parked in a designated parking spot - this includes on Colvin, the drop-off lines, and unmarked spaces in the two parking lots
• It is considered trespassing to park in other business lots - this includes the law office, Hair Forum on Fort Street, and residential drives and spots.
• Students are only supposed to cross at Colvin and Longsdorf where the crossing guards are located. There are spacious sidewalks for students to walk down so that they are crossing with the help of a crossing guard.
• Drivers need to drive slowly and cautiously around school grounds before and after school
• In the east parking lot, respect the cones that are put up for 10 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon, to ensure that those walking by our safe from parking lot traffic.
• Safeties will be at each set of doors and working out of the east parking lot with cones. Please remember these are students who are beginning their first opportunity as leaders within this role. They are nervous and can be easily intimidated. If you see a problem that needs to be addressed, please contact the office and allow for me to handle it. Please do not attempt to correct it yourself. Thank you!
  

• Also our city's emergency vehicles (police, fire, and ambulance) need the driveway kept cleared at all times in case they need to access our building. There is never an appropriate time to stop and hold up the line coming in from Longsdorf to the west parking lot. Thank you for your cooperation and support it making our parking lot safe.

  
  

• If you are arriving to school to pick-up older students, please do not pull into the pick-up line until after 3:30 which would allow for kindergarten families to pick-up safely and exit the parking lot. Many families have reported that they wait on a nearby side street until after 3:30 before entering the west parking lot and find that this works best for all.
  

• January PTC Meeting Change - Meeting will be held on Wednesday January 17, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

  
  

• Kroger Community Rewards-

  "Memorial Elementary PTC is participating in the Kroger Community Rewards Program!

  How often do YOU make trips to Kroger?

  Did YOU know those trips can become dollars for Memorial Elementary PTC?

  Here’s how:

  •Visit Kroger.com or open your Kroger app

  •Scroll down to Rewards

  •Click Kroger Community Rewards.

  •Link your card to an Organization

  •Search for your organization

  •Type Memorial Elementary PTC

  •Click Enroll

  This is no charge to you! Kroger simply donates a % of your grocery bill. Who knew giving could be so EASY! Thank you!

  https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards

Each student is assigned a mentor teacher at Memorial that they will see once a month for a building wide character building lesson. The remainder of the school year dates are as follows: November 21, December 19, January 30, March 8, April 23, and May 21. They will start shortly after our pledge and morning announcements so it's important for students to be here on time so that they don't miss out. These groups are smaller than a traditional classroom and combine students from all different grades within our school. It's a great opportunity for teachers and students to build even stronger community relationships to ensure that all feel that they belong.

Click Here

Click Here

Click Here for Elementary Handbook

This is something new this year, so please mark your calendars. Students will be released at 12:50 on the following dates. Lunches will be served to all students before they are dismissed from school on these dates.

• February 8, 2024
• March 8, 2024
• June 7, 2024

Dismissal is 12:50 on these dates - Lunches will be provided to all students

• December 25 - January 5 - No School for students
• January 15 - No School for students
• February 8 - Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences
• February 16 - No School for students
• February 19 - No School for students
• March 25 - 29 - No School for students
• May 27 - No School for students
• June 7 - Last Day of school (Early Release)

Grade 1 - December 21, 2023 - Holiday Concert - 6:00 p.m.

Grade 3 - February 1, 2024 - Valentines Concert - 6:00 p.m.

Grade 5 - May 2, 2024 - Spring Concert - 6:00 p.m.

Click Here for Principal Letter

Important Times

Memorial Elementary 2023-2024

8:25 - 8:46 - Breakfast in the Cafeteria

8:40 -Kindergarten teachers will meet students outside at designated area to bring students to class - K – Teachers – NW Doors (closest to cafeteria/Champions Program)

8:45 - Grades 1-5 students will enter through the following doors

1st Grade Teachers – NE Doors (closet to Board Office)

Grade 2 and Bus Students – North Doors (closest to Flag Pole on Colvin)

Grade 3 – NW Doors (closest to cafeteria/Champions)

Grade 4 – SW Doors (closest to main office)

Grade 5 – Recess Doors (closest to the playground and Longsdorf)

Students riding the bus – North Middle Doors Colvin by the flagpole

3:25 - K Dismissal – Teachers will walk students outside – Please communicate with teacher dismissal plans - kindergarten students will not be dismissed unless someone is there to pick them up.

3:30 - Grades 1-5 Dismissal

Our District Calendar for 2023-2024 can be found on our district website after scrolling to the bottom of the page: District Website - Click Here

If you would like your child to eat breakfast, please drop them off no earlier than 8:25 and no later than 8:35. They will come in the cafeteria doors (A.K.A the Kindergarten Doors) and go directly to the lunchroom. Chartwells staff will be able to supervise and assist your child in getting (and eating at the tables in the cafeteria) breakfast. Students will then report to class when the warning bell rings (8:). Students may NOT report to their classroom, go back outside, or go to their lockers before 8:46!

A couple of important reminders:

• Students must report DIRECTLY to the lunchroom. They may NOT go into their classroom or locker to drop their backpack off prior to the warning bell. If this is a repeat issue, you will receive a call and free breakfast program is no longer an option for your child.
• Children must be well-behaved for Chartwells staff in the lunchroom. If this is an issue, you will be called, and breakfast will no longer be an option for your child(ren).
• You may NOT drop your child off UNLESS they are eating breakfast. Chartwells staff are not able to supervise children that are dropped off and not eating breakfast. If you need childcare for your child(ren), please contact Champions before and after school care (see parent newsletter or call the office for contact information).
• You may not drop your child off to the breakfast program earlier than 8:25 am for any reason.
• When the warning bell rings at 8:45, your child must clean up and head to class. If your child reports to class at 8:50 or after, they will be marked tardy.
• Your child does not need to order breakfast ahead of time, or on certain days. This is a drop-in service that you can utilize up to 5 days per week.
• If a student comes to school a few minutes late, a bagged breakfast can be provided if students need one, until 9:10 a.m.

Click Here for Superintendent Hatzl's letter to families

Click here for the CEP Form

There is not a deadline for this form. Thank you!

This link for volunteers allows our office to do a criminal background check with the State of Michigan Police Department and is the first step in becoming a volunteer: Click Here for Volunteer Consent Form

Click Here for District Website for Volunteering

Our district leaders have updated our Strategic Plan for the next 5 years - this plan will be the focal point and road map for all decision making that will be made for instruction, building improvements, staffing, and curriculum changes. After reading, I welcome all input from you on this plan. Strategic Plan Click Here